Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What account they took of genocide in Darfur when they supported the decision of the international community in April 2005, in Oslo, to pledge more than $4 billion in aid and debt relief to Sudan; and whether the meeting of the G8 Finance Ministers in London on 12 June considered the government of Sudan's role in Darfur as a factor when including Sudan on the list of countries whose debts could be cancelled in the future.

Baroness Amos: This year started with hope of a new beginning for the people of Sudan, with the signing in Nairobi of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) by the government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.
	The CPA is a huge achievement and deserves international support to ensure that it is fully implemented. It is clearly the best hope for peace across the whole of Sudan, and we cannot risk this failing. Early and visible dividends are key to consolidating support behind the peace agreement. Donors at the Oslo meeting discussed how they would work together to support the priority areas contained in the Sudan Joint Assessment Mission report, to help the people of Sudan realise their own futures, and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. At the same time they made clear that the situation in Darfur had to be resolved; some (including ourselves) made some or all of their support conditional upon progress there.
	The UK remains gravely concerned about the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Darfur. We have committed £90 million to the humanitarian response in Darfur/east Chad since September 2003, and £32 million to support the African Union's monitoring operation in Darfur. We sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 1593, which referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC has now launched a formal investigation into these crimes. We are also playing a leading role in supporting the African Union's efforts to end the conflict in Darfur, in their mediation at the peace talks in Abuja.
	We have made clear to the government in Sudan that the full benefits of a peace dividend, including work on debt relief, will not be achieved without peace in Darfur. The UK has stated that it is willing to chair a group of donors to look at the restructuring of Sudan's external debt. This is however conditional on significant progress by the government of Sudan in resolving the Darfur conflict.
	G8 countries have agreed to complete the process of debt relief for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs) by making available additional development resources for such relief. This relief will provide significant support for countries' efforts to reach the goals of the Millennium Declaration, while ensuring that the financing capacity of the international financial institutions is not reduced. For International Development Association and African Development Fund debt, 100 per cent stock cancellation will be delivered by relieving post-completion point HIPCs that are on track with their programmes of repayment obligations. Sudan is by definition, a heavily indebted poor country, and will be eligible for some HIPC debt relief when it reaches decision point within the initiative. Only when Sudan has reached completion point, has a proven track record of sound financial management and of using funds for poverty reduction, and has received full HIPC debt relief, will it receive multilateral debt cancellation under the G8 debt agreement. The UK will not take forward work in the international arena on Sudanese debt relief until progress on Darfur is made.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they agree with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that the "Janjaweed have operated with total impunity and in close co-ordination with the forces of the government of Sudan"; and
	What is being done to implement the Security Council resolution of 30 July 2004 to disarm the Janjaweed militia.

Lord Triesman: On 7 May 2004 the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a report in which he outlined his concerns that Janjaweed militias were operating with impunity and in close co-ordination with the forces of the government of Sudan.
	United Nations Security Council Resolution 1556, passed on 30 July 2004, demanded that the government of Sudan disarm the Janjaweed militias and apprehend and bring to justice Janjaweed leaders responsible for violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. We have made clear to the Government that we expect it to tackle the climate of impunity and to comply with this resolution, and all other commitments it has made.
	On 31 March 2005, the Security Council also passed Resolution 1593, which we sponsored, referring the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court. We are pressing the government of Sudan to co-operate in full with the court.
	Only a political solution to this conflict will create the necessary conditions for long-term peace and a sustainable disarmament process in Darfur. We therefore welcome the resumption, on 10 June, of the Abuja peace talks for Darfur. A UK observer is attending the talks.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of evidence collated by the International Crisis Group that the government of Sudan is incorporating members of the Janjaweed militia into formal security structures such as the Popular Defence Force, the Border Intelligence Guard, the Popular Police and the Nomadic Police; and
	Whether they have asked the government of Sudan to clarify the assertion of Musa Hilal, leader of the Janjaweed militia, that he had been promoted to the position of Brigadier General in the General Security Service of Sudan and that the government of Sudan direct all military operations and activities by the Janjaweed militia.

Lord Triesman: In a report of 23 August 2004, the International Crisis Group provided assessment that officials in the government of Sudan were integrating members of Janjaweed militias into formal security structures such as the police and the popular defence forces.
	We continue to make clear to the Government that it must tackle the climate of impunity and bring armed militia groups under control. We co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 1556, which demanded that the government of Sudan disarm the Janjaweed militias and apprehend and bring to justice Janjaweed leaders responsible for violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn), raised the importance of improving the confidence of residents of Darfur in the police forces there with the Sudanese First Vice-President during their meeting on 14 June.
	Only a political solution to this conflict will create the necessary conditions for long-term peace in Darfur. We therefore welcome the resumption, on 10 June, of the Abuja peace talks for Darfur. A UK observer is attending the talks.

Lord Triesman: The government of Sudan (GoS) signed the Abuja Security Protocol on 9 November 2004, which commits them to refrain from all hostile military overflights over Darfur. Under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1591, the African Union (AU) is requested to monitor compliance by the GoS with this commitment. We continue to make clear to both the GoS and the rebels that they must abide fully by the commitments they have made, and the UN Security-Council resolution.
	In early February the GoS announced that they would remove their Antonov aircraft from Darfur and refrain from hostile use of aircraft there. The Antonovs appear to have been withdrawn. Although helicopter gunships remain in Darfur, the AU and the UN Secretary-General report that the GoS have not conducted any air attacks since January.

Lord Triesman: Jan Egeland estimated in March that 10,000 Sudanese civilians were dying each month in Darfur. Estimates of deaths in Darfur vary from 70,000 to 300,000 and above. Accurate figures are not available and even though the World Health Organisation is undertaking a second crude mortality survey, it will only give a snapshot of the situation. We are unlikely ever to get a full and wholly accurate picture of deaths from this conflict.
	There are 2.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Darfur and many of these would be put at great risk if humanitarian operations were suspended by any organisation for reasons of insecurity. This is why the Government fully supported the African Union's (AU) decision to increase their troop numbers from 3,000 to 7,700 and why the Government recently announced a further £19 million in funding to the AU mission in Darfur. This brings the UK's total funding to the AU to almost £32 million.
	My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn), reaffirmed to the government of Sudan during his recent visit on 12 to 14 June that NGOs must be allowed to operate freely and without harassment.

Lord Triesman: There have been no applications to the relevant UN sanctions committee seeking permission to sell arms to Sudan. The government of Belarus has sought clarification on the scope of the UN arms embargo against Sudan. This clarification has been provided by the Chairman of the UN Sudan Sanctions Committee.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: UKTI employed consultants to advise on its sector prioritisation exercise in 2004. The consultants looked at sectors both (a) in terms of their contribution to the UK economy and their potential for international growth and (b) the extent to which sector teams in UKTI (and their private sector advisory groups) could add value nationally. The result, which was validated by a private sector-led panel, was a reduction in the number of national sector teams responsible for taking forward national strategies. These teams have retained their industry advisory groups. Some sectors have been absorbed into wider sector teams, and others will be co-ordinated on a national basis by an international trade team in one of the English regions. UKTI has used separate advisory panels to make recommendations, on a sector-by-sector basis, for the distribution of funds under the support for exhibitions and seminars abroad (SESA) scheme. The future of these panels will depend on the arrangements UKTI will make for a revised SESA scheme, and on which they are currently conducting consultations.